American Girl
by jwoo2525
Summary: AU - Jackie comes to Point Place in search of something, but finds much more than she bargained for.  A story of love, betrayal, secrets, family, and forgiveness. Romance/Family/Drama.
1. Prologue

A/N - Ok, people please don't kill me. I know I have no business starting a new story while I'm working on three others, but I promise those are receiving top priority. I just couldn't get this one off my brain and it was preventing me from focusing on the others. That being said, this one won't be updated as frequently as the other three until they are almost finished. I just went ahead and posted the prologue, I guess to see if anyone other than myself was interested in the idea.

So, I've read quite a few stories where Jackie is new to Point Place and they all take place around season 5, so I guess mine does as well. Although I couldn't remember what grades they were in during that season so in my story Jackie's a sophomore and everyone else juniors in high school. Also, in my story Hyde still found out about WB. Either way, I'm taking a new twist on the Jackie as new girl story. Let me know if I should continue.

Disclaimer - don't own That 70s Show or the song American Girl by Tom Petty.

PROLOGUE

Jackie awoke with a forward jerk as the bus rolled to a stop at the Point Place Greyhound terminal. Her back and neck cracked as she fully stretched for the first time since she'd exited her plane and caught the bus in Milwaukee. Wisconsin was the farthest Jackie had ever been from home, but right now she was too tired, too pained, too cold for panic to set in. Outside the bus terminal, with her skin covered in goose bumps and her teeth chattering violently, she realized her shin length dress and clogs were more suited for the Hawaiian October days left behind. Willing herself not to take the unwelcoming weather as any sort of sign, she decided to find a motel and change into more appropriate clothing. As she stepped into the waiting cab she ran over the speech she'd been rehearsing since her departure. Each time it changed. She wasn't exactly sure what it was she wanted, but she knew she needed this. She had to confront him. She had to know.

She found a cheap motel about two miles from the bus station and checked in. Its dingy yellowed walls and sexed on sheets would have deterred the old Jackie, but the new Jackie had learned how far her money could stretch three months ago. Her father had been arrested and sent to prison for bribery and her mother had skipped town well before that. The last time Jackie had even heard from her was via a postcard that said "thinking of you" from Mexico.

When Jackie's neighbors discovered there was a 16 year old minor living at home alone they were at least nice enough to give her a week before they reported it to the authorities. She knew what happened in these situations and she was NOT going into foster care. So, she decided to run.

It took Jackie three days to pack as much as she could and then get together the documents she'd need. It was while going through the important papers in her father's old office that she found it. It was written in English, yet she found herself staring at it, trying to decipher it's meaning. _It __couldn't __be __right, __could __it? _For not the first time since this whole mess began, she wished her mother was home. But Jackie knew Pam would always love José, Johnny, and on occasion, Captain Morgan, more than her own daughter. Didn't make it hurt any less though. Resigned to the fact that she wouldn't be getting any answers from Pam, Jackie made a visit to the Hawaii State penitentiary.

And because of that visit Jackie now found herself standing outside a two story home in Point Place, Wisconsin wearing her favorite Jordache jeans and a peasant top with the last pair of new clogs she'd bought before the arrest. Her emotions ranged from elation to anger. Right now, she was settled on fear. Fingers shaking, heart racing, sweat beginning to form at her hairline, Jackie reached up and rang the doorbell.

For a moment she thought about turning around and running away. The people inside sounded happy and the last thing she wanted to do was disturb that. But her body wouldn't allow it. The longer she waited, though, the more confused her thoughts were. She wondered if he knew about her. Was she as unwelcomed and unwanted_ unloved_ here as she was everywhere else? A second longer and her feet would have gathered the momentum to do what her mind was urging her: _turn __and __run._

The door swung open and she was pulled from her thoughts by a guy with curly hair, wearing a jethro tull t-shirt and aviator glasses. He just stood there with his arms crossed looking at her expectantly.

"Ummm, is this Mr. uhh Reginald Forman's address?" Jackie asked looking down at her shaking hands clinging tightly to the addressed scrap of paper.

"Yeah, who's askin?" the boy's face twisted into a scowl as Jackie squirmed.

"Steven, who's at the door!" Jackie heard a woman's voice approaching in the background. "Oh honey, invite her in, don't leave her standing out in the cold like that" the small blonde woman said as she pushed Steven out of the way and pulled Jackie inside.

"Dammit Kitty! I'm hungry, tell whichever of Eric's dumbass friends is at the door to go home! Especially if it's that damned Kettlehead!" Jackie heard an older man's voice grumble in the background. She was getting more and more fidgety as the seconds ticked by.

"Sweetie are you a friend of Steven's because I don't think I've seen you around?" Jackie was so nervous she could feel her heart beat all over her body. She could feel its pounding as the beginning of a major headache. Shaking her head, she responded…

"No, No ma'am. I'm actually here to speak with a Mr. Reginald Forman."

"Oh well, that's m'grumpy old husband!" the woman chirped "Why don't you join us at the table!" she said, excited for another young mouth to feed.

"Oh no Mrs. Forman, I shouldn't. I really just need to sp.."

"Nonsense!" Kitty cut in, pulling the girl along, while Hyde continued eyeing her suspiciously.

Kitty practically forced Jackie into a seat between herself and a blonde girl who was giving her dirty looks. Jackie was sitting across from Steven who was sitting next to a scrawny guy with brown hair. She didn't see any family resemblance.

"Red, this young lady here was looking for you" Kitty offered up after a few minutes of awkward silent eating. Red cleared his throat.

"Well? What is it?" he barked out.

"Ummm, I think it might be best discussed in private." Jackie was now positive this was a horrible idea. This man had a family, he had two sons and a daughter and a wife who loved him and she just didn't belong here. She was a homewrecker. His wife was being so kind to her right now and it just wasn't fair.

"Whatever you have to say to me you can say in front of my family." Red said, his irritation was evident.

"Well, you see umm…" Jackie was no longer eating now. Her stomach felt like a rag being wrung and twisted "see I had to leave Hawaii because my father was arrested…"

They all looked confused but their eyes urged her to go on. "and umm so I had to go through my documents and stuff and I…ummm…I found my birth certificate." The tension at the table was so thick she thought she could reach out and touch it. She drew in a deep breath, finding untapped strength to finish the sentence.

"See, I'm uh…I'm sixteen years old now..." she was rambling "and I spent my entire life thinking Jack Burkhart was my father" she was looking at her hands now folded in her lap "and….well the problem is my birth certificate says my dad is Reginald Forman." Jackie finished with a quiet whisper.

The reactions were simultaneous. Eric spit out the juice he'd been drinking, Laurie choked on hers, Hyde's jaw dropped, and Kitty gasped.

"Red?" Kitty looked to her husband; concern, worry, and a hint of betrayal etched in her face.

Red clenched his chest, his face stark white, sweat pooled on his forehead and he collapsed. Jackie Burkhart had given her father, Red Forman, a heart attack.


	2. Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head

_The walkway to the building's entrance was a zigzag sidewalk bordered by tall, electric, barbed-wire fences. When she finally made her way inside, she had to shield her eyes from the harsh yellow-green florescent lighting. She was forced to hand her purse over to a male guard while another, burlier, female guard patted her down. She shuddered as the woman's beefy hands ran over her body._

_She was led to a small line with the other visitors and down a grimy concrete hallway toward a large gymnasium sized room where the inmates were seated, awaiting their friends and family. Her father had said he'd be in the back so she looked there first. And there he was, in his orange jump suit, smiling and waving like he was still on the campaign trail. It was pathetic._

_She walked up and found as she got closer that she was volatile mixture of anger and sorrow._

"_Hi __daddy" she greeted him with a __lackluster __hug which he enthusiastically returned. She quickly pulled out her own seat as she saw him reaching for her chair._

"_Hey __Princess! __I __missed __you __so __much!" He replied forcefully __and __there __was __an uncomfortable __moment __of __silence __where __Jackie __struggled __to __keep __the __tears __the __affectionate __nickname __had __triggered __at __bay. Briefly closing her eyes__, she__took __a __deep __breath, __her __shoulders __rising __and __falling __with __the __intake __and __release. Fighting to appear strong when she already felt deflated, s__he __sat._

"_Daddy?" her voice came out shakier than she'd expected __and __he __reached __across __the __table __to __hold __her __hand __"there's __something __I __need __to __ask __you."_

"_Sweetheart, __if __it's __about __the __trust __fund, __I __told __you. __There's __nothing __I __can __do. __It's __not __accessible __until __you're __18. __Your __grandparents __set __it __up, __so __I__…__"_

"_Dad!"__Jackie __interrupted, __snatching __her __hand __back. __"It's __not __about __the __money" __she __choked __out._

"_Then __what __is __it __Princess? __You're __scaring __me" __Jack __replied._

"_I __found __this" __she __pushed __the __birth __certificate __toward __Jack __like __it __was __a __smelly __piece __of __garbage. __He __picked __it __up, __looked __at __it, __eyes __widening __for __a __brief __moment __before __looking __at __her __with __that __contrite __expression __that, __as __of __late, __had __come __to __define __him._

_It was the look he had the day he resigned from office. The day he was arrested. His sentencing day. THAT look told Jackie the answer to the question she couldn't voice but they both knew she was asking. It was true. This man, Reginald Forman, was her biological father._

"_W-why __didn't __you __tell __me?" __Jackie__'__s __stomach __clenched. __When __her __father __didn't __immediately __answer, __she __began __to __gather __her __things._

"_I __met __your __mother __when __I __was __sixteen." __She __stopped __moving. __He __smiled __a __smile __she'd __never __seen __before. __He __looked __almost __wistful. __"I __got __into __a __little __trouble __and __your __grandpa __Jack __and __grandma __Rose __sent __me __to __Wisconsin __for __the __summer __to __stay __with __my __grandparents."_

_Jackie began to release some of the tension in her body as her father began his tale._

"_I __went __to __the __lake __a __lot __and __I'd __just __walk __along __the __shore. __It __was __a __lot __like __the __beaches __here __in __the __summer, __just __not __as __pretty" __he __joked __awkwardly __as __Jackie __stared, __waiting __for __him __to __continue._

"_Well __that's __where __I __saw __her. __On __the __beach. __Your __mother __was __the __most __beautiful __girl __I __had __ever __seen. __You __know __her __hair __was __dark __like __yours __back __then? __Before __she __discovered __peroxide." __He __laughed __again._

"_We __spent __the __whole __summer __just__…__together." __Jackie __was __unable __to __tear __her __gaze __away __from __him._

"_Just __before __I __left __to __go __home __your __mom __told __me __she __was __a __couple __weeks __pregnant." __Jack's __voice __cracked __slightly __at __this._

_Jackie was confused. Did this mean she had a brother or sister out there somewhere too?_

"_You've __never __met __your __mother's __parents, __but __you've __heard __about __them; __so __you __can __imagine __how __they __reacted __to __their __sixteen __year __old __daughter __being __pregnant." __She __HAD __heard __the __stories __and __she __COULD __imagine. __It __wasn't __pretty. __Jack __exhaled __loudly __and __the __tension __seemed __to __have __released __from __his __shoulders._

"_They __forced __her __to__…__to__…__get __rid __of __it. __To __kill __our __baby. "__He __barely __whispered __the __words._

"_You __know __back __then __those __kinds __of __things __didn't __always __go __well. "__His __face __was __now __in __his __hands __and __his __elbows __propped __up __on __the __table._

"_I __didn't __see __her __for __years __after __that." __He __was __quiet __for __a __moment __and __Jackie __thought __he __might __have __been __crying._

"_Then __I __did __this __internship __at __the __Wisconsin __Attorney __General's __office __when __I __was __in __law __school __and __I __don't __know __what __came __over __me." __He __removed __his __hands __and __had __that __faraway __look __again __"but __one __day __I __just __left __work __and __took __a __trip __to __the __lake. __And __there __she __was __walking __on __the __beach! __I __thought __I __was __hallucinating!" __He __was __smiling __and __shaking __his __head __at __the __memory._

"_She __told __me __up __front __that __she __was __pregnant __and __that __if __I __wasn't __up __for __it __we __couldn't __be __together. __She __was __very __protective __of __you. __She __loved __you." __Jackie __couldn__'__t __stop __a __small __smile __at __this. __She __relished __in __any __indication __of __her __mother's __love._

"_We j__ust __kind __of __picked __up __where __we __left __off __you __know? __With __what __she __went __through __before, __it __was __a __miracle __that __she __could __even __get __pregnant. __It __didn't __matter __to __me __that __you __weren't __biologically __mine. __You __have __to __know __that, __right __Princess?" __Jackie __didn't __respond. __It __wasn't __that __she __didn't __want __to, __she __just __didn't __know __how._

"_All __she __ever __told __me __about __him" __he __motioned __to __the __birth __certificate__" was __that __he __was __from __there. __Point__Place. __And __that __it __wasn't __about __love __with __them. __And __that's __all __that __ever __mattered __to __me. "__It __was __this __comment __that __set __Jackie __off._

"_Well __did __you __ever __think __about __just __what __the __hell __might __MATTER __to __me!" __she __yelled __at __him, __catching __the __attention __of __one __of __the __guards._

"_Ma'am, __you're __gonna __have __to __calm __down __or __leave" __the __guard __called __to __her __and __Jackie __shakily __took __her __seat __again. __She __pressed __her __palms __to __her __face, __trying __to __keep __in __the __tears __that __were __now __burning __behind __her __eyelids. __Jack __began __to __speak __again._

"_I __don't __think __your __mother __ever __got __over __what __her __parents __did __to __her" __Jackie __kept __her __eyes __shut __and __hands __covering __her __face, __convinced __that __not __looking __at __him __would __stop __her __tears._

"_Before __she __got __pregnant __with __you __she'd __been __hitting __the __sauce __pretty __hard. __I __didn't __know __about __that __til __later. __After __you __were __born, __she __startcfed __again." __He __sighed._

"_She __just__…__changed. __She __hardly __ate, __didn't __sleep, __she __didn't __want __to __be __around __me __or __you. __She'd __have __these __crazy __mood __swings __and __we'd __fight __and __she'd __disappear __for __days. __I __was __overwhelmed." __Jack __was __now __nervously __running __his __hands __through __his __hair._

"_I __was __working __while __studying __for __the __bar __and __I __had __a __newborn __daughter __at __home __and __my __wife __was __getting __drunk __and __disappearing __and __I __just__…__didn't __know __what __to __do." __He __reached __out __and __removed __Jackie's __hands __from __her __face. __She __looked __up __at __him __- __his __brown __eyes __were __pleading __with __her __blue-greens __to __understand._

"_So __you __let __the __maids __and __nannies __do __all __the __work __for __you?" __Jackie __responded __bitterly, __tears __shining __in __her __eyes._

"_What __about __when __I __got __older, __what __was __your __excuse __then? __You __know __what? __Don't __answer __that,__" __Jackie __spat __as __she __got __up __fumbling __for __her __purse. __She __clumsily __turned __and __walked __swiftly __away, __blinded __by __her __tears __and __deafened __by __the __sense __of __betrayal __overwhelming __her __as __the __man __she'd __practically __worshipped __as __a __child, __the __man __whom __she'd __have __begged __to __offer __a __crumb __of __his __attention __before, __yelled __after __her._

_When she made it to her car she climbed inside, rested her head on the steering wheel and collapsed into sobs. She already knew his excuse. He didn't love her. How could he? She was the constant reminder of the life he could have had. She ruined everything._

* * *

"Here" Jackie looked up questioningly as Steven handed her a cup of coffee. "Mrs. Forman told me to give you this." Wiping the tears that had rolled down her cheeks from the memory of her visit with Jack the week before, she took the cup.

"Thanks" she responded, looking away.

"Whatever," he replied. But instead of going back to the other side of the room where he'd been sitting with Eric and Laurie, he sat down next to her. Jackie wasn't sure why Steven had sat there, but for some reason it made her feel better…safer. At that last thought Kitty came rushing back into the waiting room

"Kids, he's gonna be alright!" there was a collective release of held breath. Laurie and Eric both rushed to hug their mother. "It was just a minor attack. The doctors said he needs to change his diet some and wear a heart monitor for a while. He's just too stressed, is all." Kitty added, muffled by her children still clinging to her.

The atmosphere among the group had lightened considerably, but Jackie could tell from the way Eric and Laurie looked at her that this didn't make things ok with them. They still hated her.

* * *

It was 1am and everyone was back at home, extremely tired, and ready for bed. But more importantly, according to Kitty anyway, they needed to have a "family talk." They were in the living room now, staring at each other, waiting for the first person to make a sound. Kitty came from the kitchen with a tray of sandwiches and set them on the table. She then sat next to Jackie on the couch.

"So, ummm dear," Kitty started as she passed the tray around "why don't you tell us again why you think Red's your father?"

Eric and Laurie groaned while Hyde tried to hide a smirk at the absurdity of the situation.

"Kitty can't this wait until tomorrow? I just got back from the hospital for god's sake!" Red interrupted.

"No! It can't wait Reginald Forman! I want to know if some other woman may have bore my husband's child! Is there a problem with that?" Kitty yelled.

"Ok, this is sickening" Laurie said "Jackie who's your mom?" The look on Laurie's face told everyone she was tired of the whole situation.

"Pam Burkhart" Jackie answered quietly, afraid that any little thing might set Red's heart off again.

"Burkhart? Nope, don't know any of them! See Kitty, it was all a misunderstanding. NOW can we go to bed?"

"Oh wait, I'm sorry, her maiden name is Shields. Pamela Shields." Jackie corrected.

"Oh my god, Red. How could you!" Kitty yelled as she stormed out of the room and up the stairs.

"Dammit!" Red shouted as he followed behind her, leaving the four teenagers alone in the living room.

"Well, I know what might make this situation better." Hyde said with a sly smile on his face as he stood and headed for the basement.

"I could really use that right now. I'm right behind you." Eric replied dismally.

"Ugh you can't leave me here with that" Laurie pointed at Jackie as she followed behind Hyde and Eric.

"What are you guys doing?" Jackie asked before they all disappeared into the basement, hoping that at least Steven would extend an invitation.

"Nothing that involves you, infant. Why don't you leave and go wreck someone else's life?" Laurie gave her a cold look and walked off as Jackie's resolve finally crumbled and she sat on the couch swiftly wiping tears from her face, unsure if she was crying because she was sad, angry, or exhausted.

* * *

Alone and trying to determine her next move, Jackie thought back over the last 24 hours. Perhaps it was her lavish upbringing or her good looks but she was used to everything working out in her favor. Although she didn't know much about her biological father, she'd spent most of her 14 hour trip fantasizing about this very reunion until she had found herself on the Forman's porch.

And only there, standing on the porch of a middle class home in a middle class neighborhood with the voices of what sounded like a happy family inside, did Jackie finally consider this might not be the happy reunion she'd envisioned. She then found herself consumed by fear because now that all her fantasies were destroyed she was faced completely with the unknown and she wasn't prepared. She HATED being unprepared.

But fear wasn't the only emotion she'd felt. Guilt overwhelmed her at the sight of the happy family. She considered for a moment that her announcement might even break up this happy home. Far from bringing joy, she was bringing devastation and disruption to the dinner table.

But as she sat now, exiled into the living room she found herself consumed by something else altogether: Rage. Reginald Forman hadn't spent his life looking for her, mourning her loss, living an empty meaningless life. There was no void waiting to be filled by the warmth and love of Jackie Burkhart. If anything, she was the 6th wheel to this happy five-person family and it was obvious that she was unwelcome here.

Wiping up the last of her tears, she began furiously counting the money in her purse. She had just enough to get back to the motel and maybe if she called her dad's friend, the one who'd helped her find Mr. Forman, maybe he'd be nice enough to track down her mother's parents. And maybe her grandparents would be happy to see her. it was all she had right now. Just as she picked up the phone to call a cab, Red and Kitty came back downstairs. Their expressions were somber, but at least they didn't look angry anymore.

"Jackie, where is it that you said you were staying?" Red asked, while he looked everywhere but at her.

"The Traveler's Lodge Motel over by the Greyhound station."

"Oh well that's no place for a young girl, Red. She's only sixteen!" Kitty exclaimed. "I'll have Steven take you to get your things sweetie." Kitty said as she rubbed Jackie's arm and handed her some Kleenex from her pocket.

"And tomorrow we'll contact your mother and clear this whole situation up!" Red replied, as he turned to walk back upstairs, exhaustion evident in his voice.

"Red" Kitty grabbed his arm "I was thinking we could do one of those blood tests. You know, like Steven and W.B. had?" Kitty whispered loudly.

"We still have to call her mother Kitty. We can't keep a runaway!" Red whispered even louder while Jackie wondered why they were trying to whisper at all and then began to panic. What little there was left of her Burkhart pride refused to acknowledge that she had no idea where her mother was.

"Umm…she's uh…gone on a business trip to…Mexico and I left the contact number at my house in Hawaii!" Jackie interrupted Red and Kitty's not so quiet argument. They frowned at her and for a second Jackie thought they didn't buy her excuse. But they didn't call her out on it.

"Red, you owe me this." Kitty said tersely.

"Ok, ok" he surrendered "tomorrow, we'll get a blood test and you…" he pointed at Jackie "can share Laurie's room until we track down your mother."

"Oh thank you so much Mr. Forman!" It wasn't her fantasy but at least they weren't putting her out as she'd feared. Jackie jumped up and surprised Red with a tight hug. A brief look of hurt flashed across Kitty's face as Red awkwardly pried Jackie away. Before Jackie could offer _her_ any effusive thanks, Kitty spoke again.

"Now you just run downstairs and tell Steven I need him to take you to get your things." Kitty's voice was shaky. So different from the upbeat sound Jackie had been greeted with hours before.

* * *

Confidence now restored, Jackie headed for the basement door. As she descended the stairs her nose was assaulted with a foul odor, the likes of which she'd never encountered before. It was a mix of must, mildew, and some other pungent fume.

"Eww, it smells down here!" she said while pinching her nose "why do you guys hang out in here! Gross!"

"To get away from people like you," Eric responded, already irritable and angry that this girl would dare disrupt his home, hurt his mother, and then insult his sanctuary.

"Steven" Jackie ignored Eric, choosing to focus on the reason she'd even entered the smelly basement in the first place "Mrs. Forman said for you to take me to the motel to get my things."

"Ok, first, don't call me that. The name's Hyde."

"That's not what Mr. and Mrs. Forman call you" Jackie cut in.

"Hyde's my last name. That's what everyone else calls me. And the Forman's are the only ones who call me by my first name." He explained to Jackie as if talking to a small child.

"Well, Hyde's a stupid name. I'm gonna call you Steven" Jackie said as she tapped her foot impatiently and Eric and Laurie snickered in the background.

It was now almost 2am, she had coffee breath, her head ached and her 'brother and sister' so obviously hated her. She'd run the gamut of emotions in the past 24 hours and was currently stuck in some sleepy form of anger.

Hyde grunted and ignored her as he began packing his stash away and putting his boots on. Jackie turned to Eric and Laurie. She really could understand why they were mad, but she figured they just needed to get to know her.

"I wanted to uh…apologize..." Jackie said this word as if it were foreign to her, and really…it was. "for how everything came out earlier. I was really nervous. You know, when I saw this house on the outside I was kinda scared about what kind of people I'd meet."

Laurie and Eric looked dumbfounded.

"You know…with how it looks and all!" she waved around as if showcasing their home to them for the first time "But, when I heard you guys I knew you were nice. And your mom is so sweet." she said smiling widely "and her food's great too! It's like a shabby hotel with really great service!" she exclaimed.

She had intended it as a compliment because thus far her experience being "poor" had not been pleasant. Unfortunately, all they could comprehend was that the girl who had ruined their parents' marriage in the space of a few hours and who, despite all this, their mother had offered hospitality, had just insulted their home.

Laurie stormed off muttering "midget bitch" under her breath followed by Eric mumbling something about "Darth Vader and the devil."

Jackie stood in place, her bottom lip beginning to tremble. She was again on the verge of tears, but before one could fall, Hyde spoke up.

"Let's go!" he commanded, walking briskly past her and grabbing his keys as she followed quickly behind.

* * *

"Steven, why don't you listen to any good music. Like the Captain and Tennille or ABBA?" Jackie asked from where she was comfortably seated in his passenger seat."

Hyde's eyebrows furrowed in annoyance "I don't know?" he began sarcastically "If I wanted to hear some freak crying about the power of love, I could listen to Pastor Dave for free."

"Who?" Jackie asked genuinely confused.

"He's..." Hyde began to explain "forget it, explaining's to much work." A slow smile spread on his face as a thought formed "Why don't you ask Mrs. Forman to introduce you?"

And while he confused her and Jackie knew there was no greater musical genius than ABBA, seeing Steven's smile made her smile for the first time since she'd arrived in Point Place. She'd almost forgotten what that felt like.

A/N - sorry the chapter was super long (at least it felt that way to me), but this is what I came up with after I cut out a lot of stuff and made it two different chapters. Phew! that was hard work! Anyway, T7S is a comedy so it really never delved that deep into the Jackie and her mom's relationship, it was like serious one minute and funny the next. I just thought Pam deserved a back story b/c being rich and materialistic doesn't translate to bad mother who treats her kid like s**t (at least not to me).


	3. Stuck In The Middle With You

A/N – I'm very sorry to all my readers (if any of you are left) that it took me so long to update. When people say life gets in the way they really mean it. I've finally found a sort of groove at work, so I'll be updating more regularly. Not too much happens in this chapter, but it was needed to lay some foundation, things pick up after this…promise. It's not my best but it's the only way I could see to get the story where I needed it to go. Hope you like anyway. R&R please!

When Jackie first awoke, stretching languorously in her pink satin pajamas, it briefly slipped her mind that she'd traveled halfway across the world and shattered a home in little more than 24 hours, but her early morning haziness swiftly vanished as she exited the room bumping into a solid male chest. It took her a second longer than she'd like to admit to get her bearings as she watched Hyde walk down the hall in his grey sweatpants and white tank top, toothbrush in his mouth.

After stepping briefly back into Laurie's room, she proceeded down the stairs and toward the kitchen, with her pajama top now covered by a pink hoodie. As her stomach grumbled in response to the smell of sausage and eggs, she realized it had been a long time since she'd had anything other than cold cereal in the morning and she could barely hide her delight as she bounded through the swinging doors where the living room and kitchen met.

"Good morning!" she cheered loudly looking around to see Red and Laurie already seated at the kitchen table and Kitty, sipping her second glass of wine, at the stove preparing breakfast.

Red, eyes glued to his newspaper, grimaced at her high pitch but grunted his usual morning greeting while Laurie grumbled in a low, voice "God, does she come with a volume button?"

Were he not so stressed Red might have laughed as he thought to himself _well __she's __definitely __loud __like __Pam._

Kitty took another swig of wine and replied "good morning to you too dear!" with an enthusiasm only early morning alcohol could provide, causing Red to look at her worriedly.

As Jackie made her way to the table, Laurie groaned and then slowly rose from her chair walking to face Red with her best pout firmly in place. "Daddy, can I borrow thirty dollars?"

Red sighed, not really wanting to spend extra money after the prognosis he'd gotten from the doctor, but also not wanting to disappoint his family any more than he already had. "Sure Kitten" he replied as he reached into his pocket and withdrew his billfold.

Money in hand, Laurie's innocent expression dissapeared. "Oh would you look at the time. Guess I better go umm…do that thing I have to do. Bye daddy! Bye mom!" her voice dropped "Bye loser" she said, glaring at Jackie before she left through the sliding door.

* * *

Red, Kitty, Hyde, and Jackie sat awkwardly around the breakfast table. Being the kind of woman Kitty was, she'd never put a child in need on the street, and this girl obviously had nowhere to go, but just Jackie's presence at her breakfast table reminded Kitty of all the hurt and insecurities she thought she'd buried along with Red's mother the day of the funeral.

Red could barely look at Kitty or Jackie, both for the same reason: guilt. He felt guilty that he'd betrayed Kitty's trust and now, and the evidence of it was sitting at his own kitchen table. He felt guilty because he was furiously wishing and hoping, praying that this girl was not his daughter – wishing she didn't exist.

He hadn't even slept. After talking around in circles, he and Kitty hadn't resolved anything. It ended with Kitty saying they had to let his "potential child stay because that motel is no place for a little girl" and then turning her back to him in bed. He could feel Kitty slipping away and he wanted to yell at her that this…THIS was the feeling he had that night and he just couldn't bare it if Kitty left. Not again.

Hyde looked up from the plate of eggs he was shoveling in his mouth, he could sense the tension in the room and the eerie silence was unsettling. Apparently, he wasn't the only bothered because as he glanced at Jackie he could see her open and close her mouth again and then furrow her brows as if searching for something to say. As he allowed his eyes to roam down her face to her neck he noticed she had now put a sweater on over the thin satin top he caught her in earlier that morning on his way to the bathroom. His mind clouded for a moment as he went back to that particular image; to be catalogued along with his teenage fantasies of Farrah and Jaclyn. As his eyes wandered back to her face he saw that she was now blushing and chewing on her bottom lip. If Red and Kitty hadn't been staring so intently at their newspaper and plate they might have noticed as well. As his eyes met hers she quickly turned from him, blushing further as she addressed Kitty.

"So, Mrs. Forman, you work at the hospital?" she said, desperately trying to fill the void. "Yes, dear. I'm a nurse there" Kitty replied with a nervous laugh and still not looking at her plate.

"Oh, that's nice" Jackie replied. "I had to go to the hospital once when I sprained my ankle at cheerleading practice I was so upset I cried for like a week because it was during nationals and I knew my team couldn't win without me I mean I have the best high jump in 5 counties and I'm pretty sure I was the best tumbler on the whole main island…

Jackie had begun her monologue on cheerleading, which Hyde had learned the hard way the previous night could go on for at least an hour nonstop. Luckily for them all, it was at this moment Kelso and Fez burst through the sliding glass doors like two idiot super heroes. Donna followed behind them with an already embarrassed expression on her face.

"Aww Dammit! We really gotta start lockin' the doors around here!" Red said as he looked up from the newspaper for the first time in the past 15 minutes.

"Alright!" Kelso yelled "Donna, you didn't say she was super hot!" he continued as he walked over to Jackie. "Hi, I'm Michael Kelso!" he grinned goofily and Jackie smiled back. Despite his awkward arrival, she was relieved there was another good-looking guy here. She'd had some unsettling thoughts about Steven the night, hell a few minutes, before and seeing as how she hadn't quite figured out how or if they were related, she was a little disturbed by her apparent attraction to him.

"Hello my lovely," a short brown guy said as he walked up to her "my name is…well, you probably can't say my name, but everyone here calls me Fez" he gently picked up her hand and kissed it as Hyde looked on with a slight grimace and Eric entered the room rolling his eyes at the exchange.

"God I thought it was a nightmare!" Eric exclaimed to no one in particular, because his friends were all engrossed by Jackie and his parents had already gotten up from the table, speaking quietly to each other. Eric studied them, noticing his mother's harried expression and the desperation in his father's eyes. His early morning musings, however, were cut short by his girlfriend's yelling.

"Fez, Kelso! Jeez, let the girl breathe!" Donna called out and she walked over to Jackie to introduce herself.

"Hi, I'm Donna" she reached out to shake Jackie's hand.

"Nice to mee-" Jackie looked down horrified at Donna's outstretched hand which she quickly grabbed and inspected. "Your cuticles look terrible Donna!"

* * *

Breakfast had only ended an hour ago, but it already felt like lunchtime to Red as he walked numbly along the hospital corridor with Jackie to his left. They were following the elderly nurse to the exam room as she detailed the blood testing procedures. It was all just noise, filtering in and out of his thoughts "…results in three to four weeks…" the low humming of fluorescent lighting, "…blood…notify…phone call…" the girl's "…eww blood…some other way?…" The click-clack of heels on the hard flooring - a cacophony of sound.

His skin grew prickly with goose bumps as the nearly freezing air filtered through the ceiling vents. As he took in a deep cool breath, the smell of antiseptics and human fluids filled his nostrils. In the years he had lived in Point Place, this hospital had come to house many of his memories, some good and some bad. Right now though, he hated everything about this hospital. It reminded him that things in his life needed fixing.

The most important of those things would be his relationship with Kitty. She had arrived with him and Jackie that morning and left to work her shift with an rushed hug goodbye. She hadn't even badgered him for explanations or even apologies like he'd expected. Aside from "I can't talk about this right now," she really hadn't said anything. Deep down, Red knew they would have to talk about it eventually, but what right did he have to force Kitty to hear any of it?

His mind swirled with thoughts of how he would provide for his family. His near-death experience only served as a reminder of his advancing age. The last thing he wanted to do was leave his family with no means of survival, but now that he couldn't work and potentially had another mouth to feed, he was panicking. And there was the worry that he could scarcely admit to himself, that maybe this would be the final straw. Maybe Kitty might leave and stay gone this time. His chest was beginning to ache from the thought alone, when the elderly nurse cut through his contemplations.

"Mr. Forman, hold out your right arm out and squeeze this ball tight for a second. I need to get to your vein." She took the needle and punctured his skin. Red watched as his blood gushed through the tube attached to the needle and filled up the first of four vials the nurse had placed on a small table.

As the nurse removed the first vial and replaced it with a second, Red stole a glance at the dark-haired enigma next to him. Taking her in fully for the first time, he couldn't believe he hadn't noticed the resemblance sooner. She looked almost exactly like her mother did at that age, but…different. There was something else in her features. Something, Red could only surmise, that came from him.

In all honesty, he had already acknowledged to himself that this blood test was just a formality. Something inside of Red _knew_she was his daughter. He knew it in the same way he knew the enemy was near in the Guadalcanal and Okinawa, in the way he could tell there was going to be a blizzard just by the feel of the Wisconsin air, or the way he could sense when his kids and the other dumbasses were up to no good. It was something he knew in his soul. As he looked again at the dark-haired girl, his mind wandered back to the day he met her mother…

* * *

_May 8, 1943…A sixteen-year-old Red Forman stood in front of the full-length mirror attached to the bathroom door smoothing back his brown hair with some gel product he'd taken from his older brother Jerry. He tucked in his yellow button down shirt, thinned out from repeated washings; another hand-me-down passed from his cousin George to his brother Jerry, then to Red and most likely would be passed on to their younger brother Marty. He adjusted the belt around the waist of his khaki pants and then bent down one last time attempting to add shine to his scuffed brown hand-me-down shoes._

_The Forman's weren't the poorest family in Point Place, but they were pretty close. The five of them lived on the east end of town in the last neighborhood before hitting the trailer park community in a three bedroom house. It hadn't always been this way, but the family's already meager savings were depleted during the depression and now that Red's father was sick they had to rely on the mother's low wages._

_Red swung his letterman jacket over his shoulder admiring himself in the mirror one last time. It briefly occurred to his hormone addled teenage mind that his primary motivation in driving his mother to work shouldn't be a chance to meet the Shields girl, but he had a bet to win. He shook his head at the memory of the bet he'd made with Charlie Miller. Maybe Charlie hadn't heard, but Red had knew the rumors of how easy she was, it'd be the easiest fifty dollars he'd ever make. He was turning 17 in two weeks, so he had to work fast. His mother's yelling penetrated the bathroom door and broke him out of his reverie. _

_"Red! Hurry up before you make me late!"_

_As he rounded the corner of Orchard Lane, with his mother sitting in the passenger seat of their black Ford, the Shields home came into view. It was a massive white multitiered home with gargantuan columns that were probably popular in some century Red didn't even know existed. It immediately reminded him of the plantation home from Gone With the Wind that he'd seen while taking Susie Macy on a date where the most action he got was handholding. Red parked and his mother headed toward the walkway to the front steps of the home. As he pulled away, he saw exiting the house, possibly the sexiest woman he'd ever seen in person. She had long dark hair, swinging hips, and gams for miles. This HAD to be Pamela Shields Red thought after taking one look at the girl._

"_Hey __beautiful!" __Red __called __out __to __her; __peeking __his __head __through __the __driver's __side __window __as __he __slowly __coasted __next __to __her. __"What's __a __gal __as __smokin' __as __you __doin' __walkin' __all __by __herself?" __The __girl __took __one __look __at __him, __crumpled __her __nose __and __continued __silently __walking __the __side walk._

"_Aww __c'mon, __d__on't __be __like __that!" __Red __groaned. __T__his __broad __was __already __being __more __trouble __than __his __friends __had __described. __In __the __back __of __his __mind, __he'd __just __kind __of __assumed __she'd __jump __right __in, __they'd __get __down __to __business __and __just __like __that __Red __Forman __would __be __a __man. __"I'm __just __trying __to __talk __to __you __is __all." __Red __tried __once __again._

"_Yeah" __the __girl __turned __to __Red, __leveling __him __with __a __sharp __look __and __a __flip __of __her __hair __"I __get __that __a __lot."_

* * *

As the nurse removed the needle and placed the cap on the last of the vials, she turned to the girl seated at his left and started the procedure all over again. "Well aren't you the prettiest little thing," she exclaimed in a motherly tone.

"I get that a lot" Jackie replied with a confident nod as Red fought off waves of déjà vu and the nurse frowned.


	4. I Won't Back Down

"And so I said you've been calling me a dumbass my entire life when you were the real dumbass all along and it's not fair you're forcing us all to live with your mistake!" Eric vented as he bit into his apple and looked at his friends sitting with him at the lunch table.

"Wow, Eric. I can't believe you called Red a dumbass. What'd he say?" Donna remarked in awe.

"Big Red, don't listen to Forman. Alls he did was stand there squawkin' and wavin' his arms around yelling about 'hell spawn' and the 'evil empire.' Looked like he was having a seizure." Hyde said disgustedly and Donna tried to suppress a giggle as she turned in her seat, rubbing Eric's arm soothingly. Eric let out a frustrated huff.

"Well excuse me _Hyde_ some of us have real emotions." Eric defended while gesticulating wildly in exactly the way Hyde had just described.

"Hyde has emotions." Fez interjected "Why, he is angry all the time!"

"I'm just saying, I have the right to be upset right now. This…girl" Eric spat "just popped up and now my life is in total chaos! My dad can't work and I might not be able to go to college because of it!" Eric sighed, his previous energy now spent "Look, I'm just tired of seeing my mom walking around like she's about to cry all the time and my dad's angrier than he's ever been. Yesterday he threatened to put his foot up Laurie's ass!" Eric threw his arms in the air for emphasis "Laurie!"

Donna and Fez both looked shocked at this revelation. Taking in their bugged eyes and slacked jaws, Hyde nodded his head.

"Same reaction I had. Man…it was brutal." He recalled.

"I have noticed the tension around there lately." Donna added "And I'm sure Kelso constantly hitting on Jackie isn't helping. Especially considering he and Laurie broke up like two weeks ago."

"Try explaining that to Kelso" Eric replied dryly. "He told my dad he didn't see what the big deal was he'd _totally __stop __doing __it __with __Laurie __before __he __started __doing __it __with __Jackie._" Eric imitated Kelso "We came this close" Eric pinched his index finger and thumb closely together "to seeing Red's foot actually go up Kelso's ass." Eric shook his head. "He's so lucky my mom came in when she did."

"Speaking of Kelso, here comes the moron of the hour now." Hyde stated as he motioned to Kelso strutting toward their table with a big grin on his face.

"Man! You guys will never guess what Pam Macy gave me under the bleachers!" Kelso exclaimed loudly as he grabbed a chair, flipped it around and straddled it, folding his arms on the top of the chair's back.

"VD?" Hyde questioned.

"No _Hyde,_a blow job!" Kelso grinned excitedly.

"That's disgusting," Donna replied with a grimace. "I thought you said you were gonna cut off all other girls and focus on trying to get with Jackie?" She questioned with a smirk.

"I thought about it." Kelso replied gravely "but, then I thought about how selfish that would be. Think about it. How many pretty girls are there in Point Place?" He looked around the table as his friends waited for him to continue "_Lots_!" He exclaimed. "Now, how many guys are as hot as me?" He waited again. "I'm the only one so that's like…two."

"Kelso, if it's just you that would be one." Donna replied partially amused and partially saddened at Kelso's stupidity.

"God Donna, do you ever listen? I keep telling you my hotness counts twice!" Kelso replied frustratedly. "Anyway, my point is, if I don't give 'em some lovin' they might never get to be with someone as hot as me. It's a rare opportunity and you guys know me…I'm a giver!" He finished with a proud smile.

"Well it does not matter anyway, because I am going to ask Jacqueline on a date and she will be my lady love!" Fez exclaimed, causing the inhabitants of the table to burst into laughter.

"Yeah, you do that little buddy." Hyde said condescendingly as he patted Fez on the back and they all continued eating their lunches and talking.

* * *

As Jackie walked into the cafeteria, she spotted the table where Eric, Donna, Hyde, Fez and Michael, or the basement gang as they were known around Point Place High School, sat. She had been in Point Place a week and a half and Kitty had let her stay home a week of that before she demanded Jackie be enrolled in the local high school until they could locate Pam Burkhart. Jackie wasn't sure if Kitty had been so adamant about getting her out of the house because she was truly concerned about her education or because she still could barely stand to look at her. It wasn't like Jackie hadn't noticed Kitty's neck stiffen and her shoulders tense every time she entered the room, she just tried (and failed) to not let it bother her because she understood why. Even still, Kitty had been kinder and warmer in the past week and a half than Pam had been Jackie's entire life and she found herself, desperately wanting Kitty to like her-wanting Kitty's approval.

As she made her way to the table she waved briefly at the group of cheerleaders to her right and then nodded her head toward the basement gang, indicating she wouldn't be sitting with the girls today. Jackie had been a cheerleader one whole day, having been allowed on the cheerleading squad her second day of school, despite the fact that tryouts had long been over. When the girls discovered she had been the captain of the cheerleading squad at the prestigious East Honolulu High School, the squad that had won Nationals three years in a row, they immediately placed her on the team. As far as her affiliation with the basement gang? The rumors were still swirling about that, but they just added to her new girl mystique.

"Hey guys!" Jackie chirped as she placed her tray on the table, squeezing her way into the small space between Donna and Eric, which was conveniently across from Hyde. Fez sat opposite Donna and Kelso sat at the end of the table.

Jackie received a spectrum of responses: nothing from Eric, a casual nod from Hyde, a smile followed by "Hey Jackie" from Donna, and finally two over enthusiastic yells of "Hi baby!" and "My beautiful goddess!"

"What…you aren't sitting with the Imperial Army today? Eric asked snidely.

"The what?" Jackie asked confusedly as Kelso moved around the table, practically knocking Donna to the ground in an effort to sit next to her. He attempted to place his arm around her and she scooted fearfully toward Eric as she shot Hyde 'save me' looks.

Before Hyde realized what he was doing he had reached across the table and frogged Kelso several times in the arm. "Would you be still you idiot! You…almost knocked my drink over!" Hyde clumsily explained as he positioned himself back in his seat, confused by his own actions.

"Jeez Hyde you don't have to hit!" Kelso whined as he sulkily sat back in his previous location and Jackie shot Hyde a look of gratitude.

Jackie had quickly found that while Michael was a nice distraction to look at, as soon as he opened his mouth the illusion was shattered. She'd had a boyfriend a lot like him at her old high school and all he did was cheat on her. From the rumors she'd heard about Michael, he and her ex weren't that different. Plus, he'd dated Laurie. Even if Laurie weren't potentially her sister she wouldn't want that skankoid's leftovers.

None of this information helped her Steven problem though. Although thankfully Donna had informed her that Steven was not her cousin or some other blood relative, she feared that information only made matters worse. She could hardly look at him without blushing, but felt constantly drawn toward him. It all just made her feel like a big idiot because she'd never had this kind of reaction to a guy. Leave it to Jackie to go in search of her long lost father only to develop a crush on her…adopted brother? Is that how he saw her? She hoped not, because the dream she had the night before was anything but sisterly.

"You know, _the _Imperial Army?" Eric's voice cut through Jackie's thoughts and she looked up to see his incredulous face staring at her. When she didn't respond, but continued looking blankly at him, his face twisted into a horrified expression. "Oh. My. God." Eric was unable to mask his revulsion. "You know what?" He squeaked out "Never mind. Just…why are you at our table?" he sputtered.

"Oh, I came to ask if you guys wanted to come to Julia Simmons' party with me this Saturday?" Jackie cheerfully addressed the whole gang, but found her eyes again magnetically drawn to Hyde.

"Yeah…see…I'm not going anywhere with you." Eric replied while looking at her as if questioning her sanity for even having the audacity to ask such a question.

"I have this huge paper to write." Donna replied unconvincingly, unable to meet the younger girl's eyes as she responded. Truthfully, cheerleaders really weren't her thing and she didn't want to hear her boyfriend's whining about her lack of allegiance if she did go with Jackie.

"Cheerleader party?" Hyde pretended to consider this "Umm…no thanks." he replied sarcastically.

"I'll go with you Jackie!" Kelso exclaimed loudly and Jackie ignored him as she turned toward Fez for his response.

"I don't think I will make it," Fez added sadly "I always get beat up by the football players at those parties and if Hyde does not come I will have no protection. Plus, are you sure you want to go this party my Jacqueline? I was going to ask if you would like to go to the movies with me?" Fez asked, attempting to be suave.

"Awww Fez. Are you asking me on a date?" Fez nodded as Jackie cooed "that's so sweet…" Fez looked smugly at the rest of the gang "but I don't date foreigners." Jackie finished somewhat snottily.

Fez was shocked but he quickly rallied. "Well if that is how you feel then I do not want to eat lunch with you! Good day!" Fez let out an indignant puff of air as he snatched up his lunch tray and turned to leave.

"But Fez!" Jackie tried to reason with him.

"I said good day!" Fez yelled back at her as he stormed off, leaving Jackie confused and everyone else snickering.

Determined not to show up at her first party in Point Place alone and really not wanting to go with any of her cheerleading "friends," who she would never admit out loud, intimated her when they were all together. "There'll be freee bee-er" Jackie sing-songed as she smiled at the table.

"What time should we be there?" They all asked in unison.

* * *

As the bell rang, signaling the end of lunch, Jackie picked up her tray and looked around to see that her cheerleading friends had long ago left the cafeteria, Donna and Eric were hurriedly walking off, and Michael was being pulled away by some red-headed bimbo, leaving her alone with the ever-scowling Steven Hyde.

"So…Steven, what class do you have next?" Jackie asked as they headed toward the window to drop off their dirty trays.

At first Hyde looked shocked that she had spoken directly to him, considering they hadn't said much to each other in the past week and a half, but he quickly shrugged and replied "Don't know. Don't care. I'm skippin' it anyway."

"Why?" Jackie asked innocently.

"Why not?" Hyde stopped briefly to respond, already beginning to get annoyed that her questioning was holding him up.

"Well don't you care about missing class?" Jackie asked, truly perplexed. All she could think about was the way Red constantly rode Eric about his classes, his dolls, being lazy, his constant nudity, whining like a woman and…well…everything. She couldn't imagine with Eric receiving that kind of attention that someone didn't care at least a little bit about Hyde's progress in school.

"Jackie," Hyde sighed her name as he finally reached the window to drop off his tray "school is just an excuse for the government to take tax dollars from us and have people tell us what to read. I can skip the middle man and read whatever I want."

Jackie considered this. While she wasn't totally convinced it wasn't a load of crap, the conviction with which Hyde had spoken about the government intrigued her. And, she'd much rather read one of her Nancy Drew novels than her Chemistry textbook.

"Can I come?" she timidly asked Hyde.

"What?" he responded roughly, surprised by her request.

"Can I skip with you?" she asked again as they exited the cafeteria and entered the building's main hall.

"No!" Hyde firmly responded.

"Why not?" Jackie asked, wondering what Hyde's objection was to her presence.

"Cause you're a freakin' cheerleader Jackie!" She looked confusedly at him, wondering what that had to do with anything. "You're a square!" he clarified at her lost expression.

She glared angrily back at him. "Just because I'm a cheerleader does _not_mean I'm a square!" You don't know anything about me!" she challenged.

"Yeah, well…I know you like unicorns." He quickly retorted.

"So?" she questioned.

"So, bye bye." He said as he quickly turned to walk off before they were caught in the halls and his effort at skipping class was wasted. He shook his head in exasperation as he heard her clogged feet tapping fiercely behind him in an effort to catch up to his fast pace. Realizing his words had done nothing to deter her, he turned his head but continued walking. When he felt her hand grasp his arm, he looked down at her face and to his dismay she was pouting. To his disgust, it was actually having an effect on him.

"Pweease Steven" she whined.

"Fine!" He groaned as he relented, angry with himself that her puppy-dog-eyed-pouty-lip routine had actually worked on him.

"Yay!" she cheered, bouncing on the balls of her feet and clapping her hands together like an excited four year old.

"But-" Hyde cut into her joyous celebration as they exited out the back of the school building and into the parking lot "no complaining about what we do and no talking about cheerleading, unicorns, rainbows, your hair, the noise you call music or any of the other crap you've been heaping on us this past week. Got it?"

"Well what _can_I talk about?" Jackie questioned seriously since Hyde had effectively cut off every one of the topics she generally relied on in conversation. As Jackie's mother had repeatedly reminded her when she came to Pam with her problems, no one wants to be bothered with her depressing stories, they just sucked the fun out of everything. So, she generally kept the serious stuff to contemplate for herself.

"How about nothing? Just…don't talk ok?" He looked at her pleadingly and she nodded her head in the affirmative.

TBC

A/N - Don't worry, you don't miss Jackie's first time skipping school, it'll be in the next chapter, and hopefully it won't disappoint!


	5. Little Green Bag

As they pulled into the wooded area, Hyde couldn't help wondering why he was taking Jackie to the one spot he kept to himself, his sanctuary. There was something about being repeatedly abandoned that had given him an appreciation for solitude. When he needed to get away from the sometimes overwhelming atmosphere of the functional Forman home, this was where he went. He could still remember the day he found this little clearing in the woods…

_It was the first time Bud had run out on him and Edna, not long before she perfected her own disappearing act. Hyde had come home late one Monday evening agitated and angry at his second grade teacher, Mrs. Pierson. She had accused him of breaking Christine DelBueno's stupid four food group diorama and now he had to serve detention all week! He didn't even get to show his diorama and it was better than everybody else's! What frustrated him most was that Forman ended up getting the highest grade and he left out dairy! How do you forget about dairy in Wisconsin! Sometimes it really bothered him how easy things seemed to come to his best friend. As he kicked at the scrap of dirt that was his front yard, he looked up to see his father backing away in his pickup truck, with Edna running after him. When she got back, huffing and sweating, she stormed into the house, sneering at Hyde on the way in as she said 'This is all your fault, you know? You made him leave.' Hurt by his mother's accusation, Hyde stormed off looking for somewhere to be alone because he was a man and men didn't cry…at least not where people could see them. He'd stumbled upon this little clearing in the forest that day and from then on this was his spot…_

…Hyde looked to his right; still surprised the little cheerleader had said nothing since they'd left the school. Knowing her love to talk needlessly like he did now, he could see why that first night something about her seemed so odd. She must have been having an emotional meltdown to have sat so quietly, so Zen, at the dinner table. It's exactly why Hyde had been sure she'd break her promise not to talk before they'd even exited the parking lot. But, as time stretched on, he realized she had been serious and he actually began to miss her voice. Her being this silent seemed…unnatural. It was kind of creepy actually. "Huh" was all he could say to that thought.

* * *

As Jackie lay on her back in the flatbed of the El Camino, she rolled her head to the right to admire the orange, yellow, and brown leaves lining the trees and the bottom of the forest floor. It was like nothing she had seen in Hawaii and she found herself wanting to share that small piece of information with Hyde.

She had said nothing as they pulled into the parking lot of a quaint 50's style diner called 'The Hub.' She had simple shaken her head 'No' when Hyde pointed to the menu and said 'want something?' She had merely sighed when they got into the car and Stairway to Heaven came blasting through the speakers. She had begun to cluck her tongue intermittently when the drive they were taking stretched longer than ten minutes.

As she heard Hyde say 'Huh,' she lazily rolled her head leftward to face him. She noticed how the fall midday sun shone brightly down making his pale blue eyes sparkle like topaz. The cool breeze stirred the leaves around them and she just had to say _something_.

"I think this is the best day I've had in a long time" she sighed contentedly. It wasn't a lie. Despite her coerced silence, it was the most stress free day she'd had since Jack Burkhart was arrested. Those months she'd spent alone in Hawaii she was anxious and worried because there was barely food in the house and in the last week, no electricity.

Everyday in Point Place she experienced a plethora of emotions: gratitude, jealousy, joy, lust, fear, sorrow, regret, guilt. This was the first time since she'd been here that she didn't feel like she was being judged for her parents' mistakes. She didn't have to be Jackie, the reason I can't go to college, or the destroyer of my marriage, the girl invading my bedroom, the cause of my heart attack, she just had to be…Jackie.

"Jackie, all we did was go the Hub and lay on the back of my car." Hyde said exasperatedly, finding it hard to believe a chick this high maintenance would actually enjoy herself just sitting in the woods. "We haven't even talked in 30 minutes!" His voice rose slightly, frustrated because when he'd said 'don't talk' he hadn't expected her to resort to pantomime. The girl obviously had a flair for dramatics.

"You told me not to talk!" Jackie quickly defended.

"Oh I'm sorry" Hyde said sarcastically "Didn't take you for the type to blindly follow orders. That's what squares do." And just when Jackie had thought she'd gone a whole day without her labels, she realized apparently there was one more: Jackie the square.

"That's it Steven, take me home." She sniped as she hopped off the back of the El Camino, crunching leaves as she marched toward the front of the car.

"Oh c'mon, I'm kidding!" Hyde pleaded as he grabbed her arm. "No, this, this is alright. We can hang out here for a while, ok? God." Hyde sighed.

Jackie walked back around the car, smiling as she realized this was probably as close as a guy like Hyde came to begging. As she rejoined him on the back of the car, he handed her the joint he'd just lit.

"Here Jacks, hit this. You need to mellow out a bit."

"Jacks?" she questioned while eyeing the joint nervously.

"You call me Steven, I'm gonna call you Jacks."

Jackie chuckled lightly as her shaky hand reached out for the joint. She warily eyed the object one last time before taking it to her lips and inhaling deeply." Her first thought was that this must be what it feels like to die of smoke inhalation. Her chest and throat burned, her eyes watered from the heat of the smoke, and she found herself in the midst of a coughing fit.

"Here have some of my pop." Hyde said as he pushed the soda toward her, suppressing the laugh tickling at the back of his throat at her inexperienced smoking. He knew when he'd offered it to her that she'd probably never smoked before, but since she was so dead-set on proving she wasn't a square she wouldn't decline it.

When she finally stopped coughing and the drug began to take hold of her mind, whatever walls she'd had up came crashing down. She couldn't stop herself from talking about _everything_ and it all seemed so hilarious.

"You know when my dad…my other dad…the one in Hawaii" she clarified "when he got arrested I tried to live by myself for a while." She was studying her fingernails and still sipping on Hyde's soda.

"And I guess it was ok, but I was ridiculous. I mean, all I ate for two months was cereal and bread." She laughed. "But…it wasn't that different. My mom and dad were never there to begin with so it's like I couldn't really _miss_ them. You know what I mean?" She asked with a delirious smile on her face and Hyde couldn't tell if the question was rhetorical or not, so he didn't answer. But, he couldn't help thinking of those weeks he'd spent eating crackers and ketchup.

"I think I missed more what could have been. Like I always thought one day I'd wake up and we'd be that happy family that everyone thought we were." Her voice didn't sound sad, it sounded peaceful and Hyde was sure that made her story all the more heartbreaking.

"I haven't seen my mom in six months. I think this is her longest time away from home. Usually it's closer to three." The way she spoke was the way anybody else would talk about the weather and Hyde had to ask the question that had been burning his brain since she began her monologue. He knew the Formans had been searching for Jackie's mom who was supposedly on a business trip in Mexico, but something about the way Jackie spoke made Hyde think otherwise. She sounded like him talking to Eric about Edna when she had left for good.

"Jacks?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you even know where she is?" Hyde asked quietly, fearing he may have overstepped a boundary in this weird bonding moment he was having with a cheerleader of all people. She was quiet for a beat and when she finally spoke her voice was filled with solemn resignation.

"No" she sighed. "But I assume she's whoring around some tropical country. Probably somewhere in South America, that's her favorite. It gives her a warm complexion and an even tan. Helps her maintain that exotic look she's always going for. What about your mom?" In her intoxicated state, she briefly forgot Donna had told her to never mention Hyde's mother. It was a sore subject and likely to get a biting remark as a reply. But to Jackie's surprise, Hyde let out a sad laugh.

"She likes to keep it in the Midwest…" he responded "helps her maintain the dirty trucker whore look she's going for" he finished. With that said, Jackie went back to giggling.

He wasn't sure what it meant that he admired Jackie's introspective musings and how much she reminded him of a more innocent version of himself, nor was he ready to figure that out. So, Hyde attributed his uncharacteristic Forman like behavior to a bad stash. He'd have to talk to Leo about that. And despite the fact that Jackie probably wouldn't remember most of this, he would still have to do something seriously badass to make up for feeling like he'd spent the last few hours on an episode of the Phil Donahue Show.

"It's almost time to leave" Jackie observed as she glanced down at her watch. "So, what now?"

Hyde let his eyes roam her body as she lay on the flatbed of his car, her dark hair splayed out in a fan. Every time she moved he caught the scent of coconut wafting off her locks. The tip of her nose and her cheeks were pink from exposure to the cool fall air and her fuzzy pink sweater had slipped up her perfectly toned stomach, exposing her still sun-kissed skin. His eyes trailed down to see her jeans clinging tightly to her slim thighs. The dark denim flared out at the bottom and her tiny feet peaked out in brown clog booties that she'd insisted were 'fashionable and weather appropriate' to which he'd rolled his eyes. As he licked his suddenly dry lips he replied.

"I'm not opposed to doing it." He was barely even half-joking.

"Take me home you pig." Jackie laughed out as she playfully slapped Hyde across the shoulder and they both climbed off the flatbed and into the car to head back home.

* * *

Red tried cranking the ignition to see if the last adjustment he'd made would get the engine to start. All he got was silence. They couldn't afford to put the car in the shop now that they were relying on Kitty's income, but it seemed the Toyota was another thing in his life he was apparently incapable of fixing. As he lay his head on the steering wheel in momentary defeat, he couldn't stop the constant replay of his argument with Eric that morning.

He'd known that ambushing Eric at breakfast with the information that once their savings were depleted the family would have to rely on his college fund probably wasn't the smartest idea. But, in his defense, it was the only way he could ensure the argument would be limited in time. Eric had to leave for school at some point.

After sifting through all of Eric's weird Star Wars references and the 'bitter and pathetic' insults, there was one thing he'd said that really struck Red. '…and I'm sick of being controlled by you!' If anything, Red had been concerned that with all of Kitty's mothering she'd smother the boy, make him hen-pecked. Red, himself, had been so concerned with making sure Eric didn't make the same mistakes he'd made, so concerned with making sure his son's life was easier, more care free, less worried about bills and things that he'd never even considered _he_ was too controlling. The thought sickened him because in that instant his mind flashed to Albert Forman. Had he become his father? He remembered how his father was always pressuring him to go to engineering school. Albert Forman had never approved of anything Red did; even when he'd come back from war to praise from everyone else. Red could've given that man the world and it wouldn't have been enough…

_May 8, 1943, The Forman family sat around the dinner table excitedly eating their steak dinner while discussing the one safe topic in their household: football. While Albert Forman generally objected to accepting anyone's handouts on pride alone, the inviting aroma of properly seasoned beef on his dinner table while the rest of the country was rationing meats and other foods eased his misgivings about his wife's job._

_Noticing her husband was in the rare chipper mood, Bernice Forman decided to broach the subject that had been the highlight of her day. "Red darling, how would you feel about an opportunity to earn some money?"_

_"What about me?" Marty cut in before Red could respond. "You're always giving Red stuff. Maybe me and Jerry wanna earn some money too! You ever think about our feelings?" he whined resentfully._

_"Leave me out of it." Jerry drawled, not the least bit interested in anything work related._

_"She probably didn't want to ask you because she was scared you'd cry all over the place like a little fairy and Jerry is just as lazy as the day is long." Albert Forman's voice boomed grouchily over the dinner table. "Hell, our only hope is Red." He then shifted in his seat so that he was now face-to-face with Red. "And that ain't much. If you don't bring those science grades up you won't get into engineering school. You blockheads don't appreciate anything." He glared at them all as he turned to face them again "I swear the way you idiots slack off it's a miracle they even let you stay in school. Just a bunch of morons. The whole lot of ya!"_

_All three boys ignored their father. It was the same speech they got everyday. 'You're useless, shiftless, lazy and you won't amount to a damned thing unless you do exactly what I say.' Red had always considered himself fairly intelligent and he couldn't see the logic in following the life plans of a poor man. He, Reginald Forman, was determined to make his own way._

_Bernice could see if she didn't interject soon, the dinner could easily get out of hand. The four men in her household were all as different as night and day and sometimes, the smallest comment could start a riot at the dinner table._

_"Marty, I didn't ask you because I know you don't like heavy lifting and Jerry, I didn't ask you because you're a senior and should be focusing on your final exams, you'll be graduating soon!" she chirped. It was a lie, but she couldn't very well tell her sons, 'I agree with your father, Red's the only one who isn't a pansy or lazy as hell.' She turned to Red again, this time determined to get out what was on her mind._

_"You know how the Shields' always have that fancy dinner party on Mother's Day for all their rich friends? The one that always ends up in the paper?" She waited for her son to indicate he recognized what she was talking about before she continued. He nodded. "Well, the catering company they were using had a bunch of people come up sick from the food served at the Thompson wedding the other day and now they're understaffed. So, the Shields' are having to rely on their regular staff to cater the party." Bernice was practically giddy as Red gave her a look that begged her to get to the point._

_"Well, Mrs. Shields asked if I knew anyone interested in working the party and I said you would do it. They're paying $20!" she quickly exclaimed. At this, Red smiled. Not only would he be earning a pretty penny, but he'd have an excuse to hang around the Shields residence. Now all he had to do was get Pam to talk to him at the party._

* * *

Red was brought from his memories of days past by the loud grumble of Hyde's El Camino as it pulled into the driveway. He noticed Jackie seemed uncharacteristically happy as she exited the car and it momentarily threw him to see the two of them together so congenially, so natural. It wasn't like he expected them to be going at each other's throats the way she, Eric, and Laurie had been, but the way her face lit up and the ease of their conversation caused Red a twinge of jealousy. He could hardly recognize the hypocrisy of wishing she didn't exist and at the same time longing for the father-daughter relationship he'd missed.

It wasn't that she seemed particularly sad before, but her demeanor around him, even when smiling, always seemed laden with other emotions. He supposed it was partially his own fault; it wasn't exactly like he'd reached out to her. In fact, since she'd been here he'd done everything in his power to avoid being around the girl, not wanting to remind himself or Kitty of what he'd done. But, as he stood there replaying Eric's words he realized if he continued to avoid her, his son would be right about one thing, he'd be pathetic. So, as she bounced toward him, still giggling from whatever it was Hyde had said to her, he steeled himself for what was probably the first real interaction they'd had since the blood test.

"Hi Mr. Forman!" she said so cheerfully and forcefully that it startled him.

"Hi...uh…Jackie" He stumbled over his words. They were silent for a while, him fixing on the car, and her standing there, wringing her hands like she had that first night. He figured she must have something important to say. "Something I can help you with Jackie?" he asked.

"Actually Mr. Forman..." Jackie began but Red cut her off, holding his hand up.

"You know, you don't have to be so formal with me. You can call me Red." Jackie frowned.

"Umm, I think I'll stick with Mr. Forman. I'm not used to calling old people by their first names." Red flinched at being called old.

"Ok, well, whatever you want" he said, looking down. He hadn't expected this to be so uncomfortable. "So…you wanted something?" he reminded her.

"Oh, right. Well, I wanted to go out on Saturday and I wasn't sure if there's like a curfew or something. I mean Laurie comes and goes whenever and Eric doesn't have a life so it's not like I could look to him as an example and Ste-"

"12:30!" Red figured it was prudent to cut her off before she really got going.

"Huh?"

"That's the curfew around here, 12:30. Have fun." He replied, beginning to find his footing in the conversation. It was no different than talking to the rest of Eric's friends and right now she reminded him of how Laurie used to be before she grew up and started sleeping with college professors. He shuddered at that last thought. A few minutes of silence passed and he noticed she was still standing there, now attempting to look over his shoulder at the Toyota.

"Whatcha doing?" she asked as she peered into the open hood.

"Just trying to get this damned thing to start." He said as he looked under the hood with her, a frown fixed on his face.

"Can I help?" she asked timidly. Red wasn't sure he felt like explaining the complex inner workings of an automobile to a little girl today, but maybe she could hold the flashlight. None of the other kids could even hold the damned thing steady.

"Sure, can you hold this." He handed her the flashlight and she held it secure, pointing it directly where it needed to go without him ever telling her where to shine it. In that moment the reality of the situation finally dawned on Red. Sure, in the abstract he had acknowledged she was probably his kid, but this felt like reality had slapped him to his senses. This wasn't a dream, she was a living, breathing, girl. He had a short, dark-haired, loudmouthed, giggly daughter who could hold a flashlight steady.

"I bet it's the ignition coil" she said, looking up at Red's dumbstruck face. And apparently she knows her cars. He hadn't seen that one coming. "That's a common problem with these cars." Jackie called back as she bumped Red out of the way, leaning into the car to tinker around and forgetting her job was to hold the flashlight. She righted herself with a car part in hand.

"Yep" she confirmed. "See these white marks on the back?" She asked as she thrust it toward Red's face "burn marks. It's definitely failing." Red just stood there staring at her like she was suddenly speaking Chinese.

A/N - Hope you liked. Btw, I know nothing about cars, that info. was all from Google searches LOL. So, you may have noticed this story will have some occurrences that are similar to the show, but hopefully I'm doing them in a way that new and not clichéd and that pays homage to the show instead of directly copying it. On a side note, for those of you who read and write FF for T7S, is it just me or did you not realize how two dimensional the show writers sometimes made the characters until you started writing yourself?


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